US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 44993407).
The red circle marks Ward Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Florida: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official FWC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 44993407), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
OpenStreetMap shows about 0.4 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Ward Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and east shores.
No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Jiggs Landing Boat Ramp, right on a shoreline trail (FWC boat ramp data).
The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.
Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.
We found 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Ward Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
RVs welcome
RVs welcome
RVs welcome
All campgrounds & RV parks in Florida
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (27.4341, -82.4851). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Ward Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.
2 public access sites listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jiggs Landing Boat Ramp | Bradenton | Manatee County | Stand Alone Ramp · Concrete ramp · dock | 5 trailer | No fee | Boating Unknown | 27.4319, -82.4811 |
| Jiggs Landing Kayak Dock | Bradenton | Manatee County | Hand Launch Only · dock | — | — | Boating Unknown | 27.4320, -82.4814 |
FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Reported on or near Ward Lake
USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Ward Lake covers about 226 acres in Bradenton, Florida (Manatee County).
Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Jiggs Landing Boat Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.
Ward Lake touches Bradenton in Manatee County, Florida.
Know Ward Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Florida lakes & ponds · All waters in Bradenton